Northeast India Tribes

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  Indigenous lifestyles of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh

ITINERARY 12 Nights/ 13 Days

Day 01: Fly to Dibrugarh

Arrive Dibrugarh. Meet and assist and transfer to your hotel. Late afternoon take a walk on the dyke along the Brahmaputra River which is very close to your hotel. From here walk to the local market before returning to your hotel. 

Day 02: Dibrugarh – Mon, 150 km/ 5 hours

Drive to Mon in northern Nagaland. Check into hotel. The Mon area is inhabited by the Konyak Naga tribe who have retained their age old traditions. Old men with their tattoos, beads around their calves had been head hunters of yore. Afternoon visit the nearby Mon village. 

Day 03: Day trip to Longwa, 35 km one way 

Drive to Longwa in the India-Myanmar border. The village straddles the territories of both India and Myanmar. Experience the rural atmosphere where you will see long palm roofed Konyak houses, old village folk with tattoos on their faces and bodies.

Day 04: Mon 

Another day at Mon visiting Konya tribal villages

Day 05: Mon – Dibrugarh

Drive back to Dibrugarh in Assam

Day 06: Dibrugarh – Pasighat, 150 km/ 4 hrs

  We first drive east and then turn north crossing the 4 KM plus long new bridge over the Brahmaputra River, turn east to cross the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border and a little further we stop at a Adi Minyong tribal village, walk around it interacting with the villagers. Continue on to the small town of Pasighat. 

Day 07: Pasighat - Along, 120 KM/ 4 hours

Drive to Along going over a scenic road – the Siang River flowing through the beautiful landscape of hills and forests is visible for a major part of the journey. We stop at one of the longest cane and bamboo bridges across the river and enjoy walking on it!! Returning to our vehicle we drive on to our homestay located a little distance away from the main town center. 

This is a charming homestay built on the traditional design of the area – the house rests on stilts and there is a traditional kitchen as well as a modern one.

Day 07: Along

Full day at Aalo including a walk from one Adi tribal village to another going through a hanging bridge. Evening enjoy a local meal at a village while some of the villagers welcome you with a traditional dance. Return to your hotel. 

Day 08: Along – Daporijo, 160 km/ 6 hours

Drive to Daporijo, on the way stop at Tagin and Hill Miri tribal villages. Check into hotel. 

Day 09: Daporijo – Ziro, 160 km/ 6 hours

Drive to Ziro. At 5000 ft this is the highest place on this tour. Afternoon spend your time in the local vegetable market where you can see exotic local ferns and herbs, vegetables, fruits, fish, meat being sold.  

Day 10: Ziro

Whole day at Ziro visiting Apatani tribal villages. Ziro is one of the most traditional areas in Arunachal Pradesh. It is home to the Apatani tribe located on a plateau surrounded by pine-covered mountains. The Apatanis themselves are Ziro's greatest attraction. The older men-folk tie the hair in top-knots and tattoo the faces. Apatani women wear large wooden nose plugs and also tattoo their faces. The Apatanis are good cultivators and practice both wet and terrace cultivation. Paddy (wet rice cultivation) is grown in the flat areas where you can see deep channels where they rear local fish, a unique traditional practice of the Apatanis. 

Day 12: Ziro – Tezpur, 320 km/ 8 hrs

Today we climb down to the plains of Assam going through the green expanse of tea estates for some part of the journey before reaching our hotel in Tezpur. 

Day 13: Tezpur – Guwahati, 180 km/ 4 hours

Drive to Guwahati airport to board your outgoing flight. 

Tour ends

 Entry formalities – Please note that all Foreign Nationals need Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to visit Arunachal Pradesh. The minimum number of persons required to apply for the permit is 2. For single person entry please write to us at tours@eastindiatravel.in 

We can assist in obtaining the permit provided  the following documents are received well before the start of the tour. 

1) Scanned copy of passport & Visa, 2) Scanned passport size photographs of each applicant 3) Duly filled RAP application form (provided by us) 

The Frontier States of Nagaland, Manipur & Mizoram  

ITINERARY 11 Nights/ 12 Days

Day 01: Arrive Dibrugarh.

Meet and assist and transfer to hotel. Evening a stroll in the local bazaar. 

Day 02: Dibrugarh – Mokokchung, 150 km/ 5 hours

Drive to Mokokchung and check into your lodge. Afternoon drive to the village of Longsa of the Ao tribe. Walking about the village we can experience the Naga way of living, learn about their traditions and culture. Return to your lodge. 

Day 03: Mokokchung – Tuophema, 115 km/ 4 hours

Drive to Tuophema. On the way visit the the villages of Ungma and Longkhum of the Ao tribe. Check into Village resort built in the Angami Naga style with amenities for a comfortable stay. Walk in the old village, visit the small but interesting museum. Evening enjoy a traditional dance performance by the local tribe. 

Day 04: Tuophema

Day trip to a village inhabited by the Rengma Naga tribe. You can have a look at the traditional weaving in some of the households.

Day 05: Tuophema – Kohima, 45 km/ 2 hour 

Transfer to Kohima. In the afternoon visit the 2nd World War Memorial. Kohima, together with Imphal, was the last frontier that the Japanese forces invaded in WW2. After initial success the Japanese were forced to retreat. A fierce battle was fought in Kohima where many Allied soldiers laid down their lives. The poignant WW2 memorial in Kohima is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission where you can find the famous inscription ---

When you go home,

Tell them of us,

And say, for your tomorrow,

We gave our today

From here walk to the very interesting local market where you see villagers selling herbs, vegetables, fish, meat, local ale etc. Drive back to your hotel. 

Day 06: Day trip to Khonoma 

Morning visit the erstwhile vanguard village  Khonoma of the Angami Nagas. Walk in the village pathways peeping into the culture of the Angami tribe. Afternoon drive short distance to Kisema where you can see life size dwelling huts of the various Naga tribes laid out neatly across a high ground. Next to it is the WW2 Museum giving you details of the war with rare pictures and texts and war time weapons. Return to Kohima and to your hotel. 

Day 07: Kohima – Imphal, 147 km/ 5 hours drive 

Drive to Imphal in the state of Manipur. Check into hotel. Afternoon visit the Ima or ‘all mothers’ market in the city. This is where you see Manipuri women selling traditional wares sitting on raised platforms. Also visit the historic Kangla Fort, the centre from where the Manipuri kings used to rule the area. 

Day 08: Imphal

Visit the famous floating lake of Loktak – the weeds in the lake entwine themselves to form large round floating islands strong enough to withstand the weight of humans and animals! A visit to the Keibul Lamjao national park, well known for the rare ‘Sangai’ or the dancing deer of Manipur, can be arranged. 

Day 09: Imphal

Morning visit the revered Shree Govindaji Temple and then proceed to the village of Andro (approx. 25 km east of Imphal), meet the locals who are renowned craftsmen of Manipuri dolls, used in traditional puppetry in the region. Also visit a shrine of the Meitei community and then a local house to see pottery and traditional wine making. For those interested, we can arrange a visit to the WW2 cemeteries of both the allied and Japanese forces, coming back from Andro.

Day 10: Imphal – Aizawl, 45 min flight

Transfer to airport for flight to Aizawl in Mizoram. Meet & assist at the airport and transfer to hotel. Late afternoon we will visit the busy Bara Bazar which lets you experience, in many ways, the Mizo way of life. There are village women selling fruits and vegetables grown in their farms, other vendors offering you traditional garments, Modern and traditional wares vie for space and there is an air of excitement as you walk around soaking it all in. 

Day 11: Aizawl

  In the morning we will drive 30 Km to the Reiek village. At an elevation of 1,465 metres the village overlooks Aizawl and offers a view of the surrounding valleys and hills. Reiek is maintained as a typical Mizo village consisting of the distinctive traditional huts of the different Mizo sub-tribes, Mizo chieftain’s house, a bachelor’s dormitory and that of a widow. This is also the venue for the annual Anthurium festival (September). Return to Aizawl in the afternoon and visit the grand Solomon Temple. The architecture of this beautiful non-denominational church has been inspired by the original Solomon’s Temple of Jerusalem mentioned in the Old Testament.   

Day 12: Aizawl – Kolkata, 1 hour & 20 min flight

Transfer to airport to board outgoing flight.

Tour ends

  Entry formalities – No Special permits necessary for this tour 

Mystical Mountains & Monasteries

ITINERARY 09 Nights/10 Days

Day 01: Arrive Guwahati – Bhalokpong, 240 km/ 5 hours
Meet and assist and transfer to Bhalokpong on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Check into your hotel overlooking the Kameng river.

Day 02: Bhalokpong – Dirang, 145 km/ 6 hours

After brief formalities at the border, drive up hill for 6 hours to Dirang at 5000 ft, crossing the town of Bomdila at 8000 ft. The landscape changes dramatically from the Assam plains to the lofty mountains.

Day 04: Dirang

Whole day at Dirang visiting villages, orchards and the picturesque Sangti Valley.

Day 05: Dirang – Tawang, 135 km/6 hours

Drive up to 13,700 ft where you cross the Sela Pass, highest motorable pass in northeast India before going down to Tawang at 10200 ft. On the way visit Jaswantgarh, an Indo-China war memorial and the beautiful Nuranang Falls. This 135 km/ 6 hour journey is full of great views of the high peaks and great valleys making it scenically most rewarding.

Day 06: Tawang

Visit the 400 year old Tawang Monastery in the morning, experience the lamas praying, interact with them. Also visit Ani Gompa or nunnery. The 6th Dalai Lama was born in Tawang, we will visit his birth place, now a revered monastery, small but full of character. In the afternoon visit a Monpa tribal village. Walk in the market and pick up local handicrafts.

Day 07: Tawang

Today we explore the scenic surroundings -- drive towards Zimmithang close to the Chinese border. We stop at the 93 feet high Gorsam Chorten, the largest stupa in the surroundings and held in reverence by the local Monpa tribe who follow the Tibetan Mahayana sect Buddhism. On our way back we visit the Monpa tribal village of Seru. 

Tawang – Bomdila, 180 km/ 7 hours

Return to Bomdila, 180 km, 7 hours. Visit the lower gompa and local market.

Day 08: Bomdila – Nameri, 120 km/ 5 hours

Drive down to the Assam plains and check into a resort near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Afternoon take a nature-walk with one of the camp guides along the Bhorelli river. This is an important birding area. People interested can do a jungle trek on Nameri National Park that lies just across the river.

Day 09: Nameri – Guwahati, 215 km/ 5 hours

Optional river rafting (gentle and with expert boatmen steering your raft) in the morning and then drive back to Guwahati, 215 km/ 5 hours.

Day 10: Guwahati Airport

Fly out from Guwahati.

Tour Ends

 Entry formalities – Please note that all Foreign Nationals need Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to visit Arunachal Pradesh. The minimum number of persons required to apply for the permit is 2. For single person entry please write to us at tours@eastindiatravel.in

We can assist in obtaining the permit provided  the following documents are received well before the start of the tour. 

1) Scanned copy of passport & Visa, 2) Scanned passport size photographs of each applicant 3) Duly filled RAP application form (provided by us)  

The local government charges need to be paid, EITC will not charge anything for this when the tour is booked through us.